Tobacco container



June 16, 1959 5. M. POLE-Y TOBACCO CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1957 FIG. :5.

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United States Patent TOBACCO CONTAINER George M. Poley, Winston-Salem, NC. Application May 3, 1957, Serial No. 656,941

1 Claim. 01. 217-12 This invention relates to containers generally, and more particularly to novel improvements in the art of manufacture of comparatively large, knock-down ship? ping and storage containers.

Primarily this container is designed for the transportation and storage of leaf and processed tobacco. It can also be used for the transportation and storage of fruit, vegetables and-other commodities.

The invention, summarized briefly, has the following salient features:

The container. has a removable cover, floor and four hinged sides in pairs. These sides, in pairs, are hinged at one end and connected to the other pair with hinged catches. These sides, when so arranged with cover and floor will afiord a complete secured enclosure. The four sides with the interior attached pieces, extend under pieces attached to the cover and floor, after closing, thereby securing the cover and floor in position. The'catches on one leaf of each pair of sides will hold the contents of the container in position. After opening one side (or a pair of sides) the cover can be removed by sliding horizontally. This will allow the inspection of the contents. After such inspection, the cover can be replaced and the side can be secured in place with the hinged catch. The container requires only a small area beyond the sides to open one or all of the hinged sides in pairs. There are no loose parts after fabricating the container, for removing contents or for reassembling. The container is complete in itself. The cover extends beyond the four sides to prevent water or other liquids from entering the container. The ends of the sides lap over the other sides to prevent moisture or other material from entering the container. Skid pieces are attached to underside of the floor to allow stacking of containers in one, two, three or more tiers vertically, thus allowing the use of a motor fork for lifting or moving. Battens are secured to cover, floor and sides to strengthen the container. All metal parts are on exterior of container. Battens and interior pieces can be secured with glue and nailed.

In carrying out the invention, I have proposed to improve upon other containers or hogsheads devised for the same or related purposes by permitting the use of relatively inexpensive, easily fabricated but strong materials, and by designing the container for easy inspection of the contents, facility in handling by warehouse equipment, and ease in loading and unloading.

It is intended to use plywood for construction except for the floor skids where solid pieces can be used. In place of hogsheads of tobacco that are now generally used for shipping and storage, the container will aiford a better means for this condition, using motor or hand trucks. It will also eliminate the use of loose pallets or other devices in hogshead storages in warehouses. This will afford considerable saving in cost both in storage and removing by fork power trucks where hogsheads are used. This container will also provide quicker and better arrangement in loading railroad freight cars; and also 2,890,809. Patented June--16, 1959 for the use of power trucks on the streets and highways. The container does not have to be turned upright as does a hogshead. It is always in a vertical position for inspection and removal of contents. It can easily be fabricated, easily assembled and parts can be used in like containers. The hinged sides, cover and floor can be packed in flat sections, when not used as a container, for storage or shipment. The strap hinges and the hinged catches have been manufactured for many years and cannot-be patented. Y

The present hogsheads now in use are about 4 feet in diameter and 4 feet, 6 inches high. Two hogsheads abreast are 8 feet wide, the limit of loading allowed in most cities, when transported by power trucks, or other vehicles. 7

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claim appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container in which a portion has been broken away;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 22 of Figure 1, portions being broken away;

Figure v3 is an enlarged sectional view, portions being broken away, substantially on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a still further enlarged detail sectional view of one of the hinge connections;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary'side elevational view on the same scale as Figure 4 of the hinge connection shown in Figure 4; and I g Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective'view of the bottom of the container.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the container is of generally rectangular, somewh at elongated configuration, as distinguished from a completely or almost square container. The particular shape or dimensions might of course be varied, and would depend on the particular material being shipped, warehousing problems, transportation facilities and equipment, etc.

In any event, the container includes three thick, elongated skids 10 including side skids equidistantly spaced from a center skid. Secured to and overlying the skids are floor battens 12 underlying and secured to a fiat, onepiece floor 14.

A pair of end panels 16, 16 and a pair of side panels- 18, 18 extend upwardly from the floor and are reinforced at their bottoms, intermediate areas, and top ends by horizontal external battens 20, 22 respectively.

Connected to one end of battens 20 are hinges 24, the movable leaves of which are horizontally slotted to receive angular, revolving thumb catches 26 swingable through a full 360. Only when the catches are in their dotted line positions of Figures 4 and 5, in registration with the slots, may the swinging leaves be disengaged from battens 22 on which the catches 26 are mounted.

At the other corners of the container strap hinges 28 have their leaves secured permanently to the battens of both the side and end panels.

A cover plate '30 has an intermediate, internal reinforcing batten 32.

Referring to Figure 3, the end panels 16 are removably interengaged with the floor and cover. Extending adjacent the end panels are plates or flanges 34 spaced from floor 14 by spacer strips 36 defining grooves or recesses 37 adapted to receive strips 38 carried by and projecting inwardly from end panels 16.

Similarly, plates 40 are spaced from cover 30 by strips 42 defining recesses for strips 44 of end panels 16.

To interengage the end panels, cover and floor by means of the interlocked plates and strips, one slides the cover and floor into place horizontally, longitudinally of above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to. which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated .and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operationand the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claim. 'Whatisclaimedist A container of the class described comprising at least two side skids; a rectangularly arranged series of coplanar floor battens secured to and overlying the skids, the, skids projecting at the ends and along one side of each batten outwardly beyond the outer periphery of said series, and providing bumper like projections at all sides of said series, a tfiat, rectangular floor secured to and overlying at battens, the several sides, of the floor being inset from the several, corresponding sides of said series, whereby the several battens have portion siprojecting beyond the periphery of the floor; a pair of end panels and a pair of side panels projecting upwardly from the floor periphery; horizontally extending bottom, top, and intermediate external battens reinforcing the bottom, top and intermediate portions of the panels and said bottom and top battens projecting above and below, respectively, the bottom and top edges of the panels on which they are mounted, one end panel being hingedly connected to one side panel and the other end panel being hingedly connected to the other side panel; separably interengaging catch elements on said one end panel and said other side panel, releasably connecting the same to hold the same against swinging movement on their hinge axes; other, corresponding catch elements on said other end panel and said one side panel releasably connecting the same to hold the same against swinging movement on their hinge axes; a cover plate overlying the several panels, the periphery of the cover plate projecting outwardly beyond the several top battens; strip means mounted on the cover plate and floor respectively and defining recesses opening outwardly along opposite sides ofthe floor and along corresponding sides of the cover plate; and locking strips secured to and projecting inwardly from the top and bottom edges of the panels adjacent said recesses and engaging in the recesses in one position to which said adjacent panels are swung to interlock said adjacent panels with the floor and cover plate, the upwardly and downwardly projecting portions of the top and bottom battens, respectively, engaging against the cover plate and floor respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,032,315 Walker July 9, 1 912 1,086,241 Sturrock Febf3, 1914 1,296,830 Marsh Mar. 11, 1919 1,483,174 Greenstreet Feb. 12, 1924 1,973,932 Sharp et al. Sept. 18, 1934 2,177,507 Weiller L Oct. 24, 1939 2,743,010 Koester Apr. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 124,109 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1919 

